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Traffic enquiries led to people-smuggling
ring bust
Three Malaysians living in Blenheim received lengthy prison
sentences for people smuggling, thanks to a joint operation with police
and the NZ Immigration Service.
 Blenheim
Station Officer in Command, Senior Sergeant Steve May, says Heng
Lee (53) received a two year prison sentence for four smuggling and
aiding/abetting charges and eight charges of aiding people to breach
conditions of their permits. He later admitted 19 more charges laid
by Inland Revenue for not filing GST and income tax returns.
Lee’s wife Koi Hen Chan (51) and daughter-in-law Lay Kheng
Chua (30) received nine months and six months imprisonment respectively
for their part in the people smuggling operation.
“
While I was Officer in Command of Marlborough’s Strategic Traffic
Unit I became aware of large numbers of vineyard workers travelling
in unregistered, unwarranted vehicles while in breach of their international
licences,” says Steve. “Further enquiries revealed that
a large proportion of these people where in fact overstayers working
illegally in New Zealand.
“
After making numerous arrests of these overstayers, I began to accumulate
intelligence that focussed on an organised group of people who were
bringing these workers into New Zealand with the promise of work
and a work permit, for the payment of a large fee.”
The leader of the smuggling group was Lee. “I targeted him
and arrested him in 2002 for driving while forbidden,” says
Steve. “This gave me the opportunity to positively identify
Lee as the leader. The recording of his fingerprints and photo during
the arrest procedure enabled me to link Lee to a number of aliases
he was using.
“
All the arrested overstayers provided me with information showing
that Lee and his associates recruited them from Malaysia to work
in New Zealand after the payment of a large fee.” The information
was forwarded to NZ Immigration Service staff who combined it with
their own intelligence. Two investigators were sent to work with
police in Blenheim.
“
On 20 November 2003 a search warrant was executed on Lee’s
address which resulted in a large amount of incriminating evidence
being seized and the arrest of Lee. His wife and daughter-in-law
were arrested a few months later.
Lee was also charged with five threatening to cause GBH charges which
were subsequently withdrawn as a result of guilty pleas on the people
smuggling charges. Immigration officers flew to Malaysia to interview
another six victims whom they then flew back to New Zealand to give
evidence in court.
Steve says as a result of the arrests, a proposal has been put forward
for a full-time immigration officer to be based in Blenheim. “This
has occurred as a result of the dramatic increase in immigration
arrests that highlight an area of concern to them. This type of organised
crime is another challenge for us, but the successful prosecution
highlights to victims from other countries that they can have faith
in New Zealand Police and immigration officers.” |
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